Mixing and Matching Vintage Hardware with New

It was the details that sold us on Tree House. Although we were crushed at the time, the first home we put in an offer on (and subsequently lost to a cash buyer) was never meant to be ours. This house though? This house was the Real One from the moment we stepped in the front – or should I say, side? – door. What Tree House has that every other home we toured lacked is charm – and lots of it!

There have been moments during our weekend visits where we’ve felt overwhelmed, but that should go without saying, right? There are still cobwebs in the corners and a thick layer of dust coating all the beams, chipped paint on every door and windows with a draft. The photos in this post are no where near ready for their close up, but at the same time, and I’ll say it again(!), it was the details that sold us on Tree House. Old homes take work – a lot of work – but for all that they require, they shine so brightly when cared for. We fell head over heels for the exposed beam ceilings, the thick solid doors with glass knobs, the brass window latches, already perfectly patinaed.

Over the years, the previous owners made improvements that wouldn’t have been our first choice, but that’s okay. There are places where aging hardware had been painted over and over again, and faulty locks were ultimately replaced with those made of shiny brass-coated metal. Although we still have some really big fish to fry, so to speak, you know that we also love a small project that assures us we’re making progress. Most recently, we picked up a handful of accessories from our longtime partner in crime, Schlage, to course correct those prior improvements. The challenge was adding new hardware to the vintage mix, but a handful of small updates made a big difference!

The front, er, side door was the first to get a makeover. The door knob is adorable, but it was paired with a barely functioning lock that was way too glossy (and completely scratched to bits):

We’ll need to boil off the years of paint that coats the original knob backplate (below), but swapping the lock for a new deadbolt in an antique brass finish was a much better fit! As a bonus, we added this aged bronze kick plate to the bottom of the door, which reads as more of a matte black. Now imagine how pretty the warm brass will look against a freshly painted black(?) door:

Inside

Outside

In keeping with the warm brass finishes throughout the home, we also added a few of these antique brass coat and hat hooks to the bedrooms. We liked that they were the right size for the back of a door (they’d also be great for towels in a bathroom, similar to the garden apartment and our own), and for the first time since we’ve been having sleepovers at Tree House, we finally have a place to hang our bags and jackets!

The small upgrades we’ve made have us itching to start boiling the decades-old hardware in need of paint removal, and although we’ve never done so, we’ll be following Daniel’s method closely (such a smarty!). Once we’re able to start painting doors and trim, these details will start to really shine. There’s so much in store for you, Tree House!

My apartment still had all the 1930 original door hardware – buried under layers and layers of paint – my best home renovation purchase was a slow cooker, it worked miracles and now everyone who comes to visit comments on how beautiful my paint-free hardware is! It isn’t difficult, but does take some patience as you have to leave the pieces bubbling away for 8-10 hours. The advantage it is chemical free – I tried some hideous concoctions before falling on the slow cooker method! Good luck :)ReplyCancel

Love these little projects that keep the renovation train moving! Your new locksets look great. I’m using the same Schlage products in my own place, but in the matte black finish. I have a mix of original (1913) doors and a few new ones. I’m renovating my place one toddler nap at a time (so in 2 hr bursts) and my reno list is made up entirely of projects that I can start, finish and clean up between 1-3pm. Changing out hardware is the perfect example!ReplyCancel

Start-to-finish projects are SO important to keep the momentum up!ReplyCancel

Jon12.7.17 - 11:43 AM

Awesome way to match old with new! I have a very similar door knob as your front (side) door, but the knobs on the interior and exterior are very loose. Any suggestions on how to tighten it up? It has exposed screws on the knobs and I think they are old and not tightening up anymore.ReplyCancel

Hi, Jon – that’s a bummer! We’ve used this product before. It definitely helps (quite a bit), but we found that if you mess with it too much, it will start to become loose. It’s a little finicky, but it could be the solution to your problem. It’s worth a try!ReplyCancel